I work from home. I normally have enough work to keep me busy as long as I feel like working. Well, today, not so much! So, I decided to take advantage, and REALLY clean my house.

Well, we have two cats. My husband works 12 hour shifts, 5-7 days a week, so he doesn't scoop it... often. Maybe once a week, maybe even every 9-10 days. It's in our closet, with a door, so the smell is only noticeable to me most of the time, because my nose is hypersensitive right now. Anyway... I get tired of it. It needs to be scooped out 1-2 times a day, minimum. I want the smell GONE. When it DOES get bad enough for anyone else to notice, it's so bad to ME that I could literally vomit every time I walk toward my bathroom (next to the closet). Anyway, I was going to scoop it today - then my dad offered, so he did it. I hate the thought of breathing all of that junk in constantly, being pregnant, but at this point, I can't do anything about it! That's one frustration.

Now I am frustrated with myself because I just cleaned the guest bathroom. I scrubbed the bathtub with a bleach/water mixture. Now all I smell is bleach. The smell was so overwhelming while I was in there, that I literally had to hold my breath for a minute to get through it. Now all I smell is bleach. It's like it's stuck in my nose. I've got the backdoor open (sitting next to it now), but it just won't go away. So now I am freaking out that it's going to hurt my baby... either the cat crap dust, or the bleach.

Ugh.

Okay, I'm done with my rant. Thanks for listening.

MamaLump

11-27-2012 12:15 PM

The cat crap dust (LOL) probably isn't a big deal, HOWEVER, cat urine is. Make your DH change it more often, but do not change it yourself!

keonli

11-27-2012 12:19 PM

Re: So frustrated!

I'd make your DH do it. It only takes a second if he does it daily. Mine also works 11-12 hours a day while functioning on 4-5 hours sleep. He does it for me because he knows the risks associated with changing the litter box while pregnant.

We keep our litter box in the bathroom, and I use odor absorbing air freshener things around it to tame the smell in the meanwhile.

*TinyJoys*

11-27-2012 12:28 PM

Re: So frustrated!

Quote:

Originally Posted by MamaLump
(Post 15976577)

The cat crap dust (LOL) probably isn't a big deal, HOWEVER, cat urine is. Make your DH change it more often, but do not change it yourself!

:yeahthat: Please don't take this as me being rude (I just don't want to see you get sick), but don't change the kitty litter! Cats are known to carry a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, which is expelled through their feces, and you don't want to expose your baby to that. Don't stress over it too much though (stress won't help anything), I just wouldn't do it again. Get your hubby, or anyone else to do it.

jlsquire0324

11-27-2012 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackieMarieVDV

:yeahthat: Please don't take this as me being rude (I just don't want to see you get sick), but don't change the kitty litter! Cats are known to carry a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, which is expelled through their feces, and you don't want to expose your baby to that. Don't stress over it too much though (stress won't help anything), I just wouldn't do it again. Get your hubby, or anyone else to do it.

This!

evasimone

11-27-2012 04:36 PM

Re: So frustrated!

If you can get away without doing the litter I would. Generally if your cats are indoor only and you've had them for awhile chances are they either won't have it or you will have already been exposed.

That being said I scooped the litter boxes, changed the litter, and bleached out the boxes for at least three months. DH is normally great but he was just ridiculous about doing it, I had to ask him and then he'd do it badly (break up the urine clumps instead of scooping, sigh and mope about, not add fresh litter etc.) So I just did it because I didn't want to deal with his attitude about the cat boxes. Also to add to it we adopted two strays that were living in our yard; I had witnessed them kill and eat birds etc. The one cat also had giardia (a parasite excreted in poop). I kept cleaning the boxes even then. I made sure I covered my nose and mouth, wore gloves and practiced immaculate hand hygiene.

I requested my midwife test me for toxoplasmosis and I ended up being negative. The moral of my story is that its difficult to catch; I have had cats my whole life many of them strays and had still never been infected.

That being said better safe than sorry and DH has gotten with the program on his own and I haven't had to scoop a litterbox in two months or so.

leyash

11-27-2012 05:20 PM

Re: So frustrated!

My cats have never been outdoors. The youngest is about a yearish old, the oldest is 2.5ish years. They have never been outdoors/around other cats.

I don't change it because I want to, and I would only do it in the case of not being able to walk in my room without vomiting, or it posing a health risk to my kids. It's far back enough in the house to where it wouldn't normally be a big deal, but it just can't be left for that long at a time without being scooped. And yes, I've asked him to scoop it, and it somehow gets forgotten... after a few days of "forgetting" I have to do SOMETHING. :/

rverrone11

11-27-2012 05:22 PM

My DH cleans the litter boxes when I'm pregnant and he works 12 hour days. I figure it's better to be safe than sorry...it's only for 38 weeks or so. :)

leyash

11-27-2012 05:29 PM

Re: So frustrated!

Quote:

Originally Posted by rverrone11
(Post 15977883)

My DH cleans the litter boxes when I'm pregnant and he works 12 hour days. I figure it's better to be safe than sorry...it's only for 38 weeks or so. :)

Actually less than that now. He's only got about 22 weeks of it left. I think I am just going to buckle down and tell him that if he's not going to scoop it atleast every other day, that I am going to get rid of the cats.

Harsh, I suppose, but honestly... with a newborn in the house, I can't have that crap floating through the air. Especially because when sleeping in our room, we are only about 15 feet from it (in the closet). I am just not willing to deal with all of this by myself when the baby gets here. I don't even like cats. ;x

raymark

11-27-2012 06:07 PM

Re: So frustrated!

I always wore a pair of dish washing gloves to clean our cat boxes when I was pregnant & had to wear a face mask anytime I used any cleaners. Protective gear is generally pretty inexpensive & you'll probably feel a lot better having a safer way to clean.